Pin-and-link holder for cars



(No Model.)

J M LOVE PIN AND LINK HOLDER FOR CARS.

No. 433,479. Patented Aug. 5, 1890.

litarnay UNITE-D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. LOVE, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY;

PlN-AND-LlNK- HOLDER F OR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,479, dated August 5, 1890.

' Application filed March 31, 1890. Serial No. 346,366. (No man.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES M. LOVE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Covington, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Device for Holding the Coupling- Pins and Coupling-Links for Railroad-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The several features of my invention and the various advantages arising from their use, conjoint-1y or otherwise, will be apparent from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a rack embodying my i11- vention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device embodying my invention, and of the end of afreight-car to which the said device has been attached. This figure shows the device in use on said car.

A indicates the vertical back piece or support, whereby the rack is to be connected to the end of the car. This back piece A is provided with suitable means for the attachment thereof to the car. A convenient mode of making such attachment consists in providing the back support with openings A. Into each of said openings A is passed a screw or bolt A and the latter is connected to the car F, thereby securing the supportingpiece A to the car.

B indicates the link pin holder, preferably flat and horizontal. This holder is provided with an opening or openings B, of a size large enough to admit the shank of the coupling-pin to be held, but too small to allow the passage through it of the head of the pin. This holder is suitably secured to the back support or piece A. The preferred mode of securing them together is by casting the holder and the back support in one piece. The openings in the holder are respectively shaped to admit the respective kinds of coupling-pins. Thus the end openings B B of the holder are round to fit the coupling-pins having round shanks, and the central opening B is of a shape substantially rectangular and longer in one direction than in the other to receive the shank of a pin of such a shape and nowin use on many railroads. The rack is further provided with the hooks C G for the reception of the couplinglinks. These hooks are preferably located as shown-viz., one hook attached to the front of one end portion of the supporting-piece A and the other hook to the front of the other end portion of the supporting-piece A, and the hooks are preferably cast in one with the said supporting-piece A.

This combined rack or holder is located on the end of the car over the draw-bar G. This central location of the holder, as regards the sides of the car, enables the holder and what it carries to be easily reached from either side of the track.

A coupling-link D is hung on the adjacent hook O, as shown. Each hook C may have its respective link. Into the hole 13' at either end of the rack-plate B is placed a round shank-pin E, and in the center hole B is inserted a'square shank-pin E. The pins and links are thus always on hand and in readi ness for immediate use. They cannot be lost. An extra pin and link can be carried and at a place Where they can be readily found and utilized. I-Ieretofore the only place Where the pin or link could be laid has been the top of the draw-bar, and this is the most insecure place, as the least jar of the moving car suffices to throw the link or coupling, or both, to the ground, and at many points in the track where there are open places the link or pin, or both, fall through the track and are irrecoverably lost. Frequently the pin or coupling in falling from the draw-head become wedged in the track alongside of or upon the rail in such a manner as to throw the car from the track.

By means of the holder and its location at the outside of the car and over the draw-head the links and pins are held securely'in position for use, can be readily reached, and are close to the device-via, the draw-head in which they are to be used. The brakeman can as easily place the link or pin, or both of them, in a secure position upon the holder as he could heretofore place the same upon the draw-head.

My invention economizes time and labor in the coupling of cars and also contributes to the prevention of the loss of coupling pins and links.

What I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The rack for coupling pins and links,

consisting of the back support A, combined with the holder having opening or openings for the reception of the-coupling-pins, and hooks O C, the latter respectively located at the respective adjacent ends of the rack, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination of the railroad-car and the rack having hooks C C for the upholding of the coupling-links, and the holder for the reception and support of the coupling-pins located between the said hooks, the rack being supported on the car and located over the draw-head, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination of the railroad-car and the rack having hooks O O for the upholding of the coupling-links, and the continuous shelf or rack located between the said hooks and immediately over the draw-head and containing holes of different shapes-round and squarefor the respective reception of pins Whose shanks have corresponding shapes, the rack being supported on the car, substan tially as and for the purposes specified.

JAMES M. LOVE.

Attest:

A. S. LUD oW, K. SMITH. 

